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Bot-tle-neck [bot-l-nek] verb (used with object) – to be or cause an obstruction in

Last week I ran into a friend I hadn’t seen in a long time. Poor guy made the mistake of asking me what was going on. I’m sure he was expecting a quick polite answer that things were much the same, all is well. But no, I launched into the whole story of leaving my I.T. career to start a staffing services company focused on placing people with disabilities. I’m freakishly extroverted and happily chat with anyone, now more than ever.

When I finally stopped talking long enough for him to get a word in edgewise, he acutely observed, “So, you’re your own bottleneck.” Ugh! I hadn’t quite thought of it that way, but he was right on. You see, I still don’t have my basic systems up and running to actually hire people. We have selected a product which provides us software as a service (SaaS) for payroll processing, employee tax filings, applicant tracking, timecard entry all those things we REALLY need if we have employees… and it’s taking much longer than I had hoped to get it up and running. There is also a little training issue. We thought maybe we would benefit from some training, seeing how we don’t have any experience in the staffing industry. Maybe working with KForce or Kelly Services would have been some good experience to have in one of our backgrounds… but we’ll settle for a crash course now.

So, once again… I am benefitting from the mere act of telling everyone I come in contact with what I’m doing. I keep hearing his words over and over again. Those words and the lyrics from the Linkin Park song “Given Up”…

Thought I was focused, but I'm scared

I'm not prepared

I hyperventilate

…I'm my own worst enemy

Only I’m just getting started… and I never give up (seriously, maybe to a fault). But, the lyrics carry meaning just the same. I have to make sure I don’t become my own worst enemy. My friend unsuspectingly had a profound effect on what I have chosen to focus my energy on this week. Thank you again to all my friends for providing me help and support!

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